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Bill 9 caused a stir in the Alberta Legislature last week after members of the UCP walked out of the debate on whether to create abortion clinic safe zones. The bill would enforce a 50 metre buffer zone where pro-life protesters would not be allowed in. UCP members said the heckling was so bad, they had to leave. In this episode, we discuss how abortion debates are being framed in this province and the political actors involved.

This week, we also welcome our intern Danielle McCreadie to The Broadcast. She tells us about surrogacy laws in Canada, and how one Liberal MP wants to change them in a bill being introduced this spring. See our story links below.

Also in this episode, Alex talks about MP Celina Caesar-Chevannes, who is making waves online by calling out racist attitudes. See the iPolitics profile on her below, as well as a thoughtful Maclean’s article on the different struggles black politicians face in Canada.

Season 2, Episode 6 – From Mumbai to Cold Lake: Hansa Thaleshvar’s journey to become mayor of a small Alberta town

Hansa Thaleshvar is an immigrant from India who became mayor of the old town of Cold Lake in 1992. It was a small community back then, dominated by the oil-and-gas industry and the military base. When Hansa first ran for school board trustee in the 1980s, her husband said it would be hard to get votes since many people couldn’t even pronounce her name. Hansa herself said she initially agreed to run, as long as she wouldn’t have to do any public speaking.

That all proved wrong. Hansa was a successful school trustee, she went on to become town councillor, and eventually a long-serving mayor of Cold Lake. And she became comfortable with public speaking, to boot.

Hansa talked to the Broadcast about how her political success was built on a commitment to community. Her political journey may have been considered unlikely — especially starting off in small-town Alberta in the 1980s — but her successes and teachings can’t be ignored.

Also in this episode, we talk about the Alberta’s budget, released last week. We look at the budget for the Ministry for the Status of Women, and what those funds might be used for. If you want to catch up on what the Ministry is all about, read about it here.

The federal Liberal government presented an “Equality and Growth” budget last week.

What does that mean, exactly? Does it do anything to promote equal economic opportunities – or outcomes – for women in this country? How might we view this budget in the context of the Liberal government and its past actions to advance the status of women? And is this a budget document…or a marketing document?

The Broadcast welcomes freelance journalist Jen Gerson to the show to break down the feminist bona fides of the latest federal budget.

Hundreds of women packed a downtown hotel in Edmonton earlier this month for the 2018 Edmonton Women’s Symposium.

The top-notch list of sessions included a panel of prominent Edmonton women who discussed their experiences in politics. How do they deal with social media — and the inevitable trolling it invites? What advice do they offer to women in all levels of government? And, most telling, what wisdom would these female leaders share with their twenty-year-old selves?

Thank you to Edmonton’s Women’s Initiative for allowing us to record the session.

This week, we also discuss the young, female leaders who are making their voices heard in the #neveragain movement in the United States. A link to a speech by 18-year-old Emma Gonzalez is below. And a piece in MacLean’s about the “elevator warning,” as a centre of reckoning when it comes to #metoo in Canadian politics.

Season 2, Episode 3 – Making sense of #metoo in politics with Martha Hall Findlay

It has been an explosive few weeks in Canadian politics; stories of sexual harassment and misconduct have blown open conversations about systemic problems in the halls of power in Ottawa and beyond. In this episode, we welcomed Martha Hall Findlay, former MP and leadership contender for the federal Liberals, to discuss the stories and the problems they expose.

“There are a lot of people out there who are probably nervous right now,” she said.

Hall Findlay speaks of the need to find a sense of due process in an era where a Tweet can take down a cabinet minister, while also acknowledging how persistent and widespread these problems are.

The answers are not easy. But it might all start with filling a major gap that currently exists — where is a woman in the political system supposed to go with a complaint of sexual harassment?

There has been a lot of excellent coverage of this story in media from across the country. We’ve posted some important stories and interviews below.

Season 2, Episode 2 – “A Fetish for Firsts” A critical analysis of how the media covers female politicians

We’ve all observed instances of how media portrayals of female politicians are different than that of their male counterparts. Linda Trimble goes beyond the anecdotes and conducts rigorous, in-depth research on the press coverage of these women.

Trimble is a political science professor at the U of A and she talks to us about her new book, Ms. Prime Minister: Gender, Media, and Leadership…and her analysis of 2,500 newspaper articles in the Globe & Mail.

In her book, Trimble looks at four female prime ministers, in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The award for the country with the most sexist coverage of a female politician goes to…Australia. Trimble examines how the country’s first female prime minister was accused of starting a “gender war” for a history-making speech about a political opponent’s history of misogyny. See below for a clip of Julia Gillard’s scathing speech in Australia’s parliament.

Trimble also breaks down the media coverage of female federal leadership candidates in Canada, going back to 1975 when Rosemary Brown ran for the top job with the NDP. Trimble found that women were more likely to be “personalized” in media coverage than men — but only on three indicators: their marital status; their level of sexual attractiveness; and their looks.

She talks about how women pursuing positions of leadership need to figure out ways to “position their quest as heroic,” in order to own the narrative surrounding their leadership runs.

We also talk about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who recently announced her pregnancy. An article from the Guardian on the announcement was refreshing. It is posted below.

Season 2, Episode 1 – Who’s got the biggest tent in 2018? All-party round table on the next year in Alberta politics

It’s only the first month of the year but Alberta is already in election mode for 2019.

To help us predict the pulse of Alberta politics over the coming months, the Broadcast was pleased to host a round-table of women from the province’s biggest political parties.

It didn’t take long for the discussion to turn to pipelines, personalities, and — believe it or not — talk of a sales tax. We also talked about what issues these women want to see their parties focus on in 2018.

The Broadcast was pleased to welcome: Sonia Kont, a director and chair of communications for the UCP board, Shamanthi Cooray, president of the provincial NDP’s Mill Creek riding association, Kerrie Johnston, Edmonton regional chair for the Alberta Liberals, and Kara Levis, leadership candidate for the Alberta Party.

Also listen for a note about an upcoming learning day put on by the Alberta Women Entrepreneurs. It’s a full day event on Feb. 20 to talk about human resources, operations, financing, and marketing. Listen to the show for a promotional code that will get you 10 per cent off the conference fee!

Season 1, Episode 24 – Tanya Kappo on the Round Dance Revolution & Finding a Place in Political Activism

It’s been five years since the Idle No More movement swept across the country, an impossible-to-ignore call for reflection on issues such as treaties, upcoming legal changes, and the on-going, problematic living conditions of too many Indigenous people in Canada.

Tanya Kappo, an Edmonton resident from the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, was right in the middle of the movement. She organized teach-ins and was a prominent voice in the “Round Dance Revolution.”

In this episode, Kappo reflects on Idle No More as a demonstration of Indigenous women’s leadership — and how the momentum has carried on.

“There were a lot of women across the country who really found their voice, took their place and stayed there,” she says.

Kappo talks about Indigenous women’s leadership, past and present, in their own communities and beyond. She also talks about how projects led by Indigenous women are creating meaningful recognition of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

The Rt. Honourable Kim Campbell joined us for a wide-ranging and frank chat on The Broadcast.

We were thrilled the former PM opened up about what gave her the confidence to run for the 1993 PC leadership — a decision that would ultimately see her sit as the first female prime minister of Canada. We also talked about sexual harassment on the Hill — then and now — and the need to re-examine our history, from the perspectives of those who have been left out of it for far too long.

We also talked about Trump — of course.

Ms. Campbell joined us from her office at the University of Alberta, where she is the founding partner of the Peter Lougheed Leadership College.

Calgary City Councillor Druh Farrell just finished “the nastiest” political campaign of her career.

In this episode, Farrell talks about the divisive Calgary municipal election and the anonymously-funded group that led a campaign to see her booted from office.

Farrell says women in politics “are going backwards in many ways.” But she also tells us that even back in 2012 she had a security detail to accompany her to the opening of Calgary’s iconic Peace Bridge.

As the city’s major proponent of a pedestrian-and cyclist-oriented bridge, she had received numerous threats over the project.

Season 1, Episode 21 – Own Your Image: How female politicians can control the conversation

Pantsuits. Pearls. Pocket squares.

Like it or not, you’ve probably noticed all of these fashion choices on a politician. For women in politics, the scrutiny is intense.

In this episode, we look at why image matters — both in terms of how women present their ideas and themselves. We talk about how women can control their image and create a public buffer to protect themselves from attacks, especially online. We also talk about how a strong image and brand can give women confidence, and help put the focus on what they’re saying.

For this episode, we were joined by Corinne Saad, co-owner of Ibis Communications and Lazina McKenzie, owner of L-Squared Style.

We also talk about the biggest female players in the United Conservative Party and the blog post by Miranda Jimmy directed to newly elected city councillor Sarah Hamilton.

Forty-three women put their names on the ballot in Edmonton’s municipal election — some were veterans in civic politics and others were first-time candidates. In this episode, we talk to four female candidates to get their tales from the campaign trails. From naked men who answered the door while they were door-knocking; to comments about their fertility; to the thought they put into their personal image and how it would appear in their campaign literature. These women shared stories, laughs, and a few glasses of beer. Their stories are funny and heart-warming — and hopefully inspiring for some, who are already looking ahead to 2021.

The spotlight has been on Edmonton’s city council for its gender inequity since 2013. That’s when just one woman — Bev Esslinger — was elected to the 13-person council.

Are the numbers just a coincidence? A blip in civic history?

In this episode, we look at the gender breakdown for candidates in the next civic election, which will take place on Oct. 16th. We also talk to a former city council candidate who says that running for municipal office made her realize “her own glass ceiling.” She says that talking about her young children at the doorsteps was a “mistake.” And that women don’t need a campaign school to learn about how to run for politics — but men need lessons on how to make room for capable women.

Also, listen in for an update on the UCP leadership race and the latest Canadian politician to take some heat for throwing out sexist language on Twitter.

It can be hard to recruit women to run for office, but the odds against immigrant women making a run for the halls of power are even higher.

What obstacles do they face? What support do they need? How can we — the great, big collective “we” — do to help more female newcomers get involved in politics?

In this episode of The Broadcast, we welcome Edmonton residents Aisha Rauf and Giselle General. The women took different paths to come to Canada and each is following a different path to get into politics.

But both of their stories highlight the unique circumstances these women face — and the strength derived from those circumstances, too. Many immigrant women are active in their ethnic communities and on behalf of volunteer organizations. That work sometimes flies under the “mainstream” radar.

Also listen in for an update on…wait for it…the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. The committee was formed as an attempt to soften the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Work is, apparently, continuing.

Season 1, Episode 17 – Working behind the scenes and parenting as a politician

Listen in as we chat about some of the summer-time stories about women and politics that have been making headlines, both locally and nationally.

First, is a profile of Katie Telford…as chief of staff to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, she’s a huge political force in Canada. We talk about how the 38-year-old political strategist/superstar earned her spot as Trudeau’s most senior advisor and what her role has been in advancing feminist issues within the government. We also talk about her work on some note-worthy, or some would say notorious, moments in Trudeau’s political career, including a “ladies night” with the future prime minister and a meeting with Ivanka Trump.

Then we zoom in on a local story. Edmonton’s city council is poised to be the first in Canada to adopt a parental leave policy, that would permit elected officials to take up to six months off jobs after the birth or adoption of a child. Will the policy break down a barrier for women who are thinking of running for public office? Is it reasonable for an elected official to bow out of public life for 26 weeks? Hear our takes, and listen for an interview with a city council candidate who is currently campaigning with an 11-month-old daughter.

In this special summer episode, The Broadcast is pleased to welcome political commentator Mariam Ibrahim and Metro columnist Danielle Paradis as guest hosts. Mariam and Danielle bring their sharp political observations to a grab-bag of topics that people who care about woman and politics will be paying attention to.

We start local, looking at Alberta’s new conservative party, the UCP (or maybe it’s not so new, according to Mariam). How are women shaping this party — or not? As the leadership race unfolds, what do the men running say about issues that affect women? And how will the new UCP leader affect the overall dynamic in provincial politics?

From there, we move across the border to Saskatchewan. That’s where women are leading a record number of First Nations in the province. Danielle breaks down why that number is so important, in the context of colonization and how it removed the political rights of Indigenous women for far too long.

And finally, we broaden our lens to the national and international stage. What do Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau and Ivanka Trump have in common? Listen, to find out more.

Season 1, Episode 15 – Parting with Tradition: Jan Reimer on being Edmonton’s first & only female mayor

It’s been 28 years since Jan Reimer was elected Edmonton’s mayor. In this feature interview Reimer reflects on her tenure as a three term city councillor and two term mayor beginning with the story of how sleeping city councillors inspired her to run.

During her time on Edmonton City Council Reimer pitched a number of battles against tradition and the stereotype of what a mayor should be. For example, she refused to wear the ceremonial chain of office and fought to have the title of alderman changed to a title more befitting of a female city councillor.

In this interview Reimer talks about the “critical mass” that Edmonton City Council achieved by electing 7 women and 6 men into office and how she believes that lead to progressive change within the city.

There were challenges though — managing a fractious city council that included one alderman dumping a pitcher of water on another, and governing during a time when female mayors were not taken as seriously as their male counterparts.

Big thanks to Edmonton Heritage Council for funding to make this episode of The Broadcast possible. And thanks, always, to Switches for the use of their music. If you want to skip to the heart of this episode, beginning with the interview with Jan Reimer, start listening at the 7 minute mark.

Season 1, Episode 14 – Gender Up! The good, the bad and the complicated on gender quotas in politics

Gender quotas — in some form or another — exist in the political structures of countries from Rwanda to Sweden. But the word alone seems to make many Canadians wince — why?

There’s a prevailing notion that “good” candidates shouldn’t need a quota to get elected.In this episode, University of Calgary political scientist Melanee Thomas talks about why she disagrees with that idea. She breaks down what academic research says about the effect on politics in countries where gender quotas have been implemented. And she talks about where Canada’s political parties stand on the issue.

Thomas also talks about gender quotas in the context of her own research, that found 15 to 20 per cent of Americans AND Canadians hold sexist views about women in politics (such as the idea that women are either too emotional or too nice to be in politics).

Our conversation with Melanee Thomas starts at the 5:50 mark of this podcast.

Also in this episode, we talk about Premier Rachel Notley’s message to Muslims at the end of Ramadan…somehow, it sparked the need to point out, once again, that women can wear whatever they want.

Lisa Holmes is a political veteran at an age when most men haven’t even started their political careers. The outgoing mayor of Morinville was first elected to the town’s council in 2010, at the age of 30 — in the seven years since, she has become a prominent supporter of women in politics across the political spectrum in Alberta. In this interview, Holmes talks about why she’s leaving political life for now — despite her personal drive to get more women elected to public office; why she supports a variety of women in politics, across party lines; and why she wrote a Facebook post about Donald Trump on the night he was elected. Holmes has been courted by every political party in the province, and she hasn’t ruled out an eventual return to politics. She’s a political mover and shaker, and one to watch — and listen to, especially if you’re interested in women in municipal politics. Our interview starts at the 7:30 mark of this podcast.

We also discuss grassroots efforts to support more women in leadership positions in Africa. There is already parity legislation in a handful of African countries and about 24 per cent of federal political seats across sub-Saharan Africa are held by women. But the goal is to see those numbers grow. We also point you to an interview with Rona Ambrose, about her new life outside of politics, which sounds comparatively, very chilled.

Male feminists in politics. How does a man best support women in politics? How can men help propel the feminist movement forward by learning when to step back? Edmonton City Councillor Andrew Knack and activist Reakash Walters join us on The Broadcast to discuss this important topic. Knack talks about his “Ah-ha!” moment, when he realized he had never thought about safety on public transit — a common concern of his female constituents. Part of his approach to feminism included this sentiment: “It was just realizing, that I don’t know anything and I actually need to shut up and start listening.” Walters talks about why it’s important for men to make space for women and how men can be strong allies to support women in politics.

Season 1, Episode 11 – Mind the Gap: How podcasts can fill a news void on women & politics

In this episode, The Broadcast takes you to the Needle Vinyl Tavern where Trish and Alex presented at Northwestfest to talk about why they started a podcast about women and politics. If you’re interested in women and politics, and the media, and how the media COVERS women and politics, you’ll want to listen to this conversation. How do traditional media organizations cover the topic of women and politics; what drives the editorial decisions; what role can podcasts play to add another dimension to the media coverage? The Broadcast welcomed special guest, Scott Fralick — newshound and journalist — to join this conversation. Also, listen in to find out all the secrets of how The Broadcast is put together.

Season 1, Episode Ten – Through a gendered lens: Rose-coloured glasses or a reality?

Could a gender-based snow plowing policy work in Alberta? Serious question. Sweden adopted a snow-clearing policy that explicitly considered the needs of women, who are more likely to be pushing baby strollers on snowy sidewalks. It’s part of an approach called gender-based analysis, which examines government policies by considering how they specifically affect women.

In this episode, we talk to Carlynn McAneeley, an advisor to Stephanie McLean, Minister for the Status of Women, about the Alberta government’s push to train civil servants in the approach.“We have a small army of public servants thinking about gender inequality — which is kind of unreal to think about from even five to 10 years ago.”

We’re not just talking about “women’s issues,” like child care or mid-wifery…we’re talking about minimum wage, taxes, and laws that regulate helmet use on ATVs. Listen in to hear how a gendered-approach could potentially affect policy in all of those areas.

When can gender-based analysis fail? How does it shift from lofty policy goal to actually helping that woman pushing a baby stroller in the middle of snowstorm? And how does Alberta compare to other jurisdictions when it comes to unpacking gender in its policies?

If you want to read more, here are a few key pieces:

Read here about what feminists wanted from a gender-based federal budget this year.Read here about one academic’s critique of how the federal government delivered that budget.

Read here about why a centre-left Swedish political party wanted to make snow clearing routines more gender equal.

Season 1, Episode Nine – “Two long years”: Why Katherine O’Neill resigned as PC Party President

In this week’s episode, we ask former PC President, Katherine O’Neill, about what really happened inside the PC party after it was nearly wiped off Alberta’s political map in 2015, and why she decided to step down from the party executive, just three weeks after the election of party leader Jason Kenney.

For two years, O’Neill was the “referee” (her words, not ours) of a party seeking to redefine itself. In debt, and decimated by the 2015 provincial election, O’Neill says she did her best to bring the party back together. But it wasn’t always easy.

“It’s been a very long two years,” she told us, admitting that at times she felt her personal safety was at risk — the result of a heated leadership race that brought aggressive commentators to the forefront.

“I’ve been a war reporter in Afghanistan, I’ve had bullets whizz by my head, so I’m not this shrinking violet who gets scared easily. I was very worried about my personal safety, but that’s not why I took a break,” she said.

To hear why she took a break, listen to the full episode.

We also wade into the debate over Charging Bull vs. Fearless Girl, the two statues facing off near Wall Street in New York City. The statues have sparked discussions about art, political movements, women and leadership The sculptor behind the bull, built thirty years ago, is taking offence to the fearless girl, another statue erected shortly after the election of President Donald Trump and commissioned by State Street Global Advisors, a financial firm. We talk about what the fearless girl represents and how politics and art can be a powerful combination.

The Wildrose has introduced Bill 202, legislation that would essentially make it easier for women — and men — to sue for damages if their intimate images are shared online without their permission. The Broadcast sat down with the party’s two female MLAs — Leela Aheer and Angela Pitt — to discuss this bill on “revenge porn” also known as the Protecting Victims of Non-Consensual Distribution of Intimate Images Act.

Along the way, we talked about whether revenge porn is a women’s issue, whether the Wildrose can lead on social issues (which some of their caucus colleagues have called ‘stale’) and whether Alberta needs a Ministry for the Status of Women (Aheer is the shadow minister for that portfolio).

Also, in this episode, we discuss proposed legislation in New Brunswick that would give political parties more money for fielding female candidates. The goal seems like a good one, but we question whether the financial mechanism proposed to make this happen is the right one.

Season 1, Episode Seven – “You’ve got to see yourself at that table:” Four stories of women in politics

In this episode, we head to the Metro Cinema where Trish hosted a panel discussion with four female politicians as part of the Edmonton International Women’s Film Festival. There were some familiar faces — NDP MLA Sandra Jansen and former Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman. And some new faces — including Ward 5 city council candidate Miranda Jimmy and Nav Kaur, who ran for Ward 12 in 2016. They talk about the “Ah-Ha!” moment, when they first decided to run for political office. They talk about where they’ve drawn their inspiration. And they talk about how running for office is often easier when you have a wife behind you.

Season 1, Episode Six – The Game is On: The Future of the PC Party in Alberta

On March 18, the PC Party will elect a new leader. With pundits and party insiders predicting a Jason Kenney victory, we ask: what will a united conservative party mean for women in Alberta? Both in terms of their role in a potentially new party and in terms of the policies this new party might adopt. We talked to former PC cabinet minister and life-long PC member, Heather Klimchuk about her life with the party that she loves, the women who have helped shape the party so far, and “the ugly side of politics” that has emerged in the past months. As a self-described progressive within the PC party, Klimchuk says the party has often managed to find a comfortable centre even when confronted with divisive issues that expose the party’s “jagged edges.” Still, Klimchuk is honest about her uncertainty over where progressive women may find themselves in a potential new party headed by Jason Kenney.

Season 1, Episode Five – “Play the game a little:” How women can break into municipal politics

In this episode, we talk about what it will take for more women to run in Alberta municipal elections this fall. Women hold about 26 per cent of elected municipal positions in the province right now — the situation is even more bleak in Edmonton and Calgary, which have one and two female councillors respectively. We talk about “the ask” — the fact that women need to be asked to multiple times before they might put their name on a ballot. We talk about the challenges women face to find the right people to run their campaigns. And we talk about money. At the end of the day, the average amount put into a winning city council campaign in Edmonton is $80,000. How do women access that kind of money? We talk to some super smart women about the logistics, politics, and dynamics of women running for municipal politics and we visited “campaign school” at Edmonton City Hall.

City council candidate Miranda Jimmy and NDP MLA Heather Sweet discuss identity in politics as it relates to Indigenous female politicians. Is it important for these women to present their Indigenous identity in their political lives — either for themselves, or for others? How do cultural and gender identity intersect on the political stage for these women? How much does the media’s desire for labels affect their work? Jimmy and Sweet talk honestly about the tricky topics of identity, race, gender, and politics.

Season 1, Episode Three – “No one was listening”: Sandra Jansen on politics, the PC party, and life under two female premiers

NDP MLA Sandra Jansen talks about her disaffection with the PC party and her decision to talk openly in the Legislature about being called a “bitch” in politics and being told to “stay in the kitchen.” She tells her story about who approached who before she officially left the PC party for the NDP. Jansen also reflects on her work under two female premiers, the first being Premier Alison Redford. Ironically enough, Jansen was an associate minister charged with tackling online bullying while in the PC caucus under Redford.

Season 1, Episode Two – Clinging to McClung: Time to let a Canadian icon go?

Historian and author Charlotte Gray joined the Broadcast to talk more about her book, The Promise of Canada: 150 Years — People and Ideas That Have Shaped Our Country. In this interview Gray defends her portrayal of Nellie McClung as a note-worthy suffragette, despite some attitudes that would not be considered strongly feminist today.

Listen in as two former journalists turned politicians talk about the issues that defined them as female candidates. A frank conversation with the former leader of the Opposition, Danielle Smith and current president of the Progressive Conservative Alberta party, Katherine O’Neill.